Home » Archives for BHB_Admin » Page 2
About BHB_Admin

Kindness week inspires MWI patient

From The Royal Gazette: Big-hearted staff at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute were yesterday praised by a patient inspired by a call to keep sharing kindness in the wake of Mental Health Awareness Week.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said nurses at MWI made Mother’s Day gifts for her to boost her spirits while she was treated in the hospital after a breakdown.

The woman added: “I suffer from depression and bipolar and I think it’s the pandemic that set it off.”

She was speaking after Kim Wilson, the health minister, asked the public to carry forward the kindness theme from Mental Health Awareness Week after the commemoration finished earlier this month.

The woman, who said she had never had inpatient treatment at a mental health institution before, checked into MWI in May after fears for the survival of her business and the stress of Covid-19 worsened condition and propelled her into “a total breakdown”.

She said she became suicidal and had avoided taking medication after she tried to keep her mind occupied with online learning when her business was forced to close and she, along with her family, had to stay at home over the months-long lockdown period.

The woman added: “I just broke down. I called my doctor, and I was told to drive to MWI. They were expecting me when I got there.

“The reason I’m doing this is because they don’t get enough credit for what they do. Every single staff member was amazing. They were my angels. You do not feel isolated. You feel safe.”  …

Published 19 October 2020
19 October 2020 Media

Road closure at KEMH on 27 July

Friday 24 July 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public of a temporary road closure scheduled for Monday 27 July 2020 on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) campus. The closure will affect vehicular traffic from approximately 8am to 6pm.

A crane will be positioned on the KEMH through road between the ambulance bays and the General Wing lobby from 8am, necessitating the closure of that section of the KEMH road until approximately 6pm.

During this period, emergency vehicles and people attending the Emergency Department should use the Point Finger Road entrance. Ambulances will enter and exit on Point Finger Road.

KEMH and the visitor parking lots will remain accessible from both Point Finger Road (Acute Care Wing) and Berry Hill Road (General Wing and Agape House). Traffic will not be able to travel between the General Wing lobby roundabout and Point Finger Road.

For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution and adhere to the barriers and signage.

Bermuda Hospitals Board apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.

KEMH Road Closure Map – 27Jul2020

24 July 2020 Home Page, News

Road closure and traffic interruptions on 26 May at KEMH

Sunday 24 May 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public of a temporary road closure scheduled for Tuesday 26 May 2020 on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) campus. The closure will affect both vehicular and pedestrian through traffic from approximately 6:30pm until midnight.

To facilitate the replacement of some of the beds in the KEMH General Wing and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, a container will travel to the KEMH site, interrupting the flow of traffic along Point Finger Road from approximately 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Tuesday.

The container will be positioned on the KEMH through road between the ambulance bays and the General Wing lobby from 6:30pm, necessitating the closure of that section of the KEMH road until approximately midnight.

During this period, emergency vehicles and people attending the Emergency Department should use the Point Finger Road entrance. Ambulances will enter and exit on Point Finger Road.

KEMH and the visitor parking lots will remain accessible from both Point Finger Road (Acute Care Wing) and Berry Hill Road (General Wing and Agape House). Traffic will not be able to travel between the General Wing lobby roundabout and Point Finger Road.

For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution and adhere to the barriers, signage and directions of the security officers.

Bermuda Hospitals Board apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.

KEMH Road Closure Map – 26May2020

24 May 2020 Home Page, News

BHB releases internal management accounts data

Tuesday 18 February 2020: BHB is releasing internal management accounts data from fiscal year 2017, up to and including the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, the latest quarter available. These represent the data shared with staff and the Board, but are unaudited. BHB will continue to provide internal management accounts data quarterly and update information online, as BHB does with its quarterly posting of quality patient safety data, annual plan of projects, statistics by fiscal year and patient satisfaction data by fiscal year.

Additional resources that are already on BHB’s website and can provide additional background to some or all of the years include details of projects, statistics and strategy documents developed:

Update on the current status of BHB’s auditing process since early February 2020:

  • BHB’s 2015 Annual Report has been submitted to the Ministry of Health to start the legislative process.
  • The audit for the 2016 Financial Statements was signed off by the Auditor General last week.
  • BHB is pleased to note that both fiscal years have received unqualified audits.
  • The 2016 financial statements are being presented to BHB’s Finance & Audit Subcommittee this month, after which the annual report will be laid out with a management report.
  • Focus will now be on completing the auditing process for fiscal years 2017 to 2019.

Overview of internal management accounts data for full fiscal years 2017 to 2019:

Comparing the three full fiscal years between 2017 and 2019, total revenue rose from $324.7 million to $329.8 million between fiscal year 2017 and 2019, a rise of $5.1 million or 1.5% over three years. The dip in revenue for 2018 represents a one-off $25 million cut in hospital subsidy.

Total expenses rose from $316.8 million to $329.0 million over this time period, representing $13 million or 3.9% in total.

A substantial increase was experienced in repairs and maintenance, which increased from $18.9 million to $26.9 million, which is 42% or $8 million. This reflects the increasing cost of keeping the ageing KEMH General Wing and MWI facilities safe for patient care. Salaries and benefits, which includes overtime and the costs of casual staff, as well as regular salaries, rose 3% from $188.7 million to $194.3 million.

In the fiscal years 2017-19, BHB revenue was substantially made up of fee-for-service charges, with the addition of an MWI grant and a partial grant for long-term care. In June 2019, BHB moved to a fixed government grant of $322 million.

Achievements over the three years included:

  • Launch of a five-year BHB strategic plan in 2016/17, and the commitment to the triple aim of improving patient outcomes, improving patient satisfaction and reducing the per capita cost of care.
  • Development and publishing of a Clinical Services Plan in 2018 to address improving the health and care of Bermuda’s community, with better community management of chronic illness and a stronger safety net after discharge, to reducing the need for expensive hospital services.
  • Development of a four-year Financial Recovery Plan to manage a $25 million cut in hospital subsidy in 2017/18, which was revised in 2018/2019 due to the expectation of the fixed income agreement which was implemented in June 2019.
  • Initiation of a Service Improvement Programme, with the support of KPMG, to improve effectiveness and efficiency of clinical and administrative processes.
  • Collaborative partnership entered into with the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, to train and support clinical staff in working on quality improvement projects.
  • Clinical agreement entered into with Johns Hopkins in 2019.

Management Account Figures (Unaudited) FY2017 – Q3 FY2020

18 February 2020 Home Page, News

Road closure and traffic interruptions at KEMH on Monday

Thursday 6 February 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public of a temporary road closure scheduled for Monday 10 February 2020 on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) campus. The closure will affect both vehicular and pedestrian through traffic from approximately 6pm until 10:30pm.

To facilitate the replacement of beds in the KEMH General Wing, a container will travel to the KEMH site, interrupting the flow of traffic along Point Finger Road from approximately 5:30pm to 6pm on Monday.

The container will be positioned on the KEMH through road between the ambulance bays and the General Wing lobby from 6pm, necessitating the closure of that section of the KEMH road until approximately 10:30pm.

During this period, emergency vehicles and people attending the Emergency Department should use the Point Finger Road entrance. Ambulances will enter and exit on Point Finger Road.

KEMH and the visitor parking lots will still be accessible from both Point Finger Road (Acute Care Wing) and Berry Hill Road (General Wing and Agape House). Traffic will not be able to travel between the General Wing lobby roundabout and Point Finger Road.

For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution and adhere to the barriers, signage and directions of the security officers.

Bermuda Hospitals Board apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.

KEMH Road Closure Map – 10Feb2020

6 February 2020 Home Page, News

BHB seeks students for 2020 summer programme

Monday 6 January 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) is now accepting employment applications for its 2020 Summer Student Programme.

BHB aims to ensure the highest quality healthcare through service excellence, education and leadership.

Director of Learning and Talent Development Kendra-Lee Pearman, PhD, said: “If you are Bermudian, highly motivated and currently attending college or university, we encourage you to join our family of experienced professionals for the summer months.

“Continuing our goal of building a healthy community and strong partnerships, the Summer Student Programme is an excellent way for students to gain hands-on experience in their area of study while creating a talent pipeline for BHB. We encourage students pursuing both clinical and non-clinical studies, including information technology, finance, engineering, trades and human resources, to apply.”

All applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of employment, have completed at least one year of study at an accredited college or university, and have a Bermuda Social Insurance Number.

Nursing students must have started their clinical rotation. Allied health students must have been accepted into an approved occupational therapy, physical therapy or dietetics programme. Medical students must be entering at least their third year of study.

The application deadline for BHB’s Summer Student Programme is Friday 28 February 2020. All applications must be made online in the Jobs Now section of BHB’s website at bdahospitaldev.wpengine.com, by clicking on ‘Work at BHB’ and selecting ‘Student’ as the job category. Potential applicants can email any questions to ltd@bhb.bm.

BHB notes that successful applicants will be subject to a drug test.

6 January 2020 Home Page, News
Keneshia and Nia Elizabella Taylor

BHB welcomes first babies of 2020

Wednesday 1 January 2020: Staff of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Maternity Unit have been busy on the first day of 2020, welcoming two New Year’s babies with a possible third on the way. Both babies were expected in the middle of January but decided to make early appearances.

The first baby of the new decade was born at 7:58am. The little girl weighed in at 7lb 2oz.

The second baby followed a few hours behind, born at 12:06pm to parents Keneshia and Terence Taylor. Little Nia Elizabella is just 4lb 1oz.

The babies and their mothers are healthy and getting some much needed rest.

Pictured above: Nia Elizabella Taylor and mother Keneshia Taylor

1 January 2020 Home Page, News

Road closure and traffic interruptions at KEMH on 9 December

Thursday 5 December 2019: Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public of a temporary road closure scheduled for Monday 9 December 2019 on the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) campus. The closure will affect both vehicular and pedestrian through traffic from approximately 6pm Monday until 1am Tuesday.

To facilitate the replacement of beds in the KEMH General Wing, a container will travel to the KEMH site, interrupting the flow of traffic along Point Finger Road from approximately 5:30pm to 6pm on Monday.

The container will be positioned on the KEMH through road between the ambulance bays and the General Wing lobby from 6pm, necessitating the closure of that section of the KEMH road until approximately 1am.

During this period, emergency vehicles and people attending the Emergency Department should use the Point Finger Road entrance. Ambulances will enter and exit on Point Finger Road.

KEMH and the visitor parking lots will still be accessible from both Point Finger Road (Acute Care Wing) and Berry Hill Road (General Wing and Agape House). Traffic will not be able to travel between the General Wing lobby roundabout and Point Finger Road.

For your safety and the safety of others, please use caution and adhere to the barriers, signage and directions of the security officers.

Bermuda Hospitals Board apologises to the public for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.

KEMH Road Closure Map – 9 December 2019

5 December 2019 Home Page, News
BHB Accreditation Certificate 2019-2023

BHB awarded top level of accreditation

Monday 2 December 2019: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) has achieved a decision of Accredited with Exemplary Standing, Accreditation Canada’s highest level of accreditation. The decision follows four years of quality and safety improvements, culminating in a weeklong onsite visit by independent surveyors in May.

Accreditation Canada is a non-profit organisation that works with the Ottawa-based Health Standards Organization, healthcare providers, policy makers and patients to improve the quality of health and social services. More than 1,000 health and social service organisations and 7,000 sites around the world have been accredited by Accreditation Canada with a goal of safer, high-quality healthcare. Accreditation Canada surveyors are volunteers who are healthcare professionals in senior clinical or administrative roles at other accredited organisations.

BHB CEO and President Venetta Symonds said: “I’m very proud of this result, which reflects the dedication and hard work our staff devotes to BHB’s quality and safety improvement projects in addition to their daily work of caring for our patients. The surveyors emphasised how much we’ve achieved at BHB over the last few years, and even in the six months prior to the survey.

“They applauded how we have used the Strategic Plan 2016-2021 at the centre of our planning across BHB, and how our extensive Clinical Services Plan serves as the anchor for our strategic goals.

“They cited our dedication to quality and safety improvement and training at all levels, especially initiatives like the introduction of daily bullet rounds on inpatient wards and more focused discharge planning, the significant reduction in pressure injuries, our commitment to early identification and treatment of sepsis, and our increasing engagement of patients and families in policy and process development. They recognised the involvement of our entire team in achieving these results.”

BHB Chief of Staff Michael Richmond, MD, said: “In Bermuda our hospitals are required by law to be accredited by an approved accrediting body. However, the most important part of the process is the opportunity to receive feedback and recommendations from the Accreditation Canada team and the surveyors based on the knowledge and insights they’ve gained from our peers across North America and around the world.

“Clinical and non-clinical teams across BHB have been collaborating with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Johns Hopkins Medicine International and other partners to identify and implement changes to our services, processes and policies. These changes are already having a significant impact on the quality and safety of our care, as evidenced by Accreditation Canada’s survey findings.”

Mrs Symonds added: “Achieving the highest level of accreditation does not mean we don’t have more work to do. The survey report highlights the things we’re doing well, but it also outlines areas we need to improve. Their advice, along with our other quality improvement partners, will help us along the journey to attaining our vision of Exceptional Care. Strong Partnerships. Healthy Community.

“One of our greatest resources on this journey is our patients and their loved ones. Their input on our services and care is invaluable in identifying the areas we fall short and helping us deliver the best possible care to every patient, every day. Our newly formed Patient and Family Advisory Council also provides advice on how we can implement or change processes to improve the patient experience. Thank you to the Council and to every member of the community who has taken the time to contact our unit managers and patient relations with their suggestions and concerns.”

From 13-17 May 2019, four independent surveyors assessed BHB against 26 sets of healthcare standards, 35 priority processes and 30 required organisational practices. They spent time at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute, Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre and three of BHB’s group homes, observing staff, reviewing documentation and policies, and interviewing staff, patients and community partners.

The surveyors’ findings were then reviewed thoroughly by the Accreditation Canada team before an accreditation decision and full report were issued.

“Accreditation Canada is committed to supporting organisations like Bermuda Hospitals Board, who offer safe and effective care with a focus on continuous improvement. We commend BHB for their outstanding achievement and their contributions to our goal of achieving quality health services for all,” noted Katerina Tarasova, Accreditation Canada’s executive director of international accreditation.

Accreditation Canada will continue to work with BHB throughout the four-year accreditation cycle, reviewing evidence related to unmet criteria, providing feedback, and monitoring standards and practices to ensure the organisation continues to perform at the expected level.

BHB has been accredited since the 1970s. This year marks the 13th onsite survey by Accreditation Canada. The next survey will be held in May 2023.

The accreditation report, decision letter and survey comparison table are available on the BHB website at bermudahospitals.bm > About BHB > Providing Safe Care.

Resources

2 December 2019 Home Page, News

Scholarship created to honour nurse

From The Royal Gazette: Two would-be nurses became the first winners of scholarships set up to honour the memory of an intensive care nurse who died two years ago.

The Vickie Smith Nursing Scholarships were awarded to Donnalyn Smith and Milon Outerbridge.

Ms Smith, who is due to start a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of West England in Bristol, said: “This scholarship helps me a whole lot.

“My parents are very hardworking; I see how hard they have to work for me.

“I would do anything to help. I want to give back whatever I can, to ease the load.”

Ms Smith said she became interested in a career as a nurse when she volunteered to work at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to notch up community service hours while she was at middle school.

She added: “A friend had volunteered at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital as a teen volunteer and she persuaded me to go.

“I volunteered in the continuing care unit and from the first day, I loved it.

“We sat with elderly patients, those who could not speak, those with disabilities … We read to them, we watched movies together, we walked with them. I was so happy, making other people happy.

“I liked the personal connection that nurses have with their patients and I wanted to make it a career.

“I am interested in going into geriatrics, paediatrics or surgical, but that could change once I get more experience.” …

Published 5 September 2019
26 September 2019 Media